Tactical Lingo 101: Decoding the Alphabet Soup of Police & Military Talk

Step into a police precinct or a military base, and you might feel like you’ve stumbled into an alternate universe where every sentence is half-acronym, half-grit. This isn’t just jargon — it’s a working language. Tactical lingo is built for speed, clarity, and sometimes, a little gallows humor.

Here’s a list of 100 real abbreviations, codes, and slang you’ll hear in the field — from the SWAT van to the squad car.

Law Enforcement Lingo

1. 10-4 – Message received/acknowledged.

2. 10-20 (“20”) – Location. (“What’s your 20?”)

3. BOLO – Be On the Lookout.

4. APB – All Points Bulletin.

5. Perp – Perpetrator.

6. UC – Undercover officer.

7. Plainclothes – Officers not in uniform.

8. Miranda – Reading suspects their rights.

9. Hot Sheet – List of stolen vehicles.

10. Ride-Along – Civilian observer tagging along.

11. Hobble – A restraint device for legs.

12. Sally Port – Secure entry/exit gate to a jail.

13. Booking – Processing an arrestee.

14. DUI / DWI – Driving Under the Influence / While Intoxicated.

15. Signal 13 – Officer needs help ASAP (varies by state).

16. Code 3 – Respond with lights and sirens.

17. Code 4 – All clear / Situation handled.

18. Code 7 – Meal break.

19. Badge Bunny – Civilian romantically interested in cops.

20. Blue Wall – The perceived silence or loyalty among police.

Military Essentials

21. AO – Area of Operations.

22. AOR – Area of Responsibility.

23. CO – Commanding Officer.

24. XO – Executive Officer (2nd in command).

25. NCO – Non-Commissioned Officer.

26. FOB – Forward Operating Base.

27. MRE – Meal, Ready-to-Eat.

28. Hooah – Army expression for motivation/acknowledgment.

29. Oorah – Marine Corps equivalent.

30. Hooyah – Navy SEAL equivalent.

31. Ruck – Rucksack; also shorthand for marching with gear.

32. PT – Physical Training.

33. Hooch – Sleeping quarters or makeshift shelter.

34. Bird – Helicopter.

35. Squid – Slang for Navy sailor.

36. Jarhead – Slang for Marine.

37. Grunt – Infantry soldier.

38. POG – “Person Other than Grunt” (support role).

39. Mustang – Officer who started as enlisted.

40. PX / BX – Post/Base Exchange (military store).

Weapons & Gear Talk

41. NVGs – Night Vision Goggles.

42. Kevlar – Ballistic helmet or body armor.

43. BDU – Battle Dress Uniform.

44. Plate Carrier – Vest holding armor plates.

45. Bug Out Bag (BOB) – Emergency go-bag.

46. SITREP – Situation Report.

47. FRAG Out – Call before throwing a fragmentation grenade.

48. Click – Kilometer.

49. Mag – Ammunition magazine.

50. Hot Brass – Ejected shell casings.

51. Suppressor – Silencer for firearms.

52. M4 / M16 – Standard-issue rifles.

53. SAW – Squad Automatic Weapon.

54. Breach – Force entry (often with explosives).

55. Stack Up – Line of officers/soldiers ready to enter.

56. Room Clear – Call when a space is secure.

57. Belt Fed – Machine gun slang.

58. Bang – Flashbang grenade.

59. Zero Dark Thirty – Very early hours of the morning.

60. QRF – Quick Reaction Force.

Radio & Callouts

61. Roger – Message received.

62. Wilco – Will comply.

63. Copy That – Understood.

64. Oscar Mike – On the Move.

65. Tango – Target / Enemy.

66. Foxtrot – Slang for “clusterf***” (when used as FUBAR).

67. LZ – Landing Zone.

68. CAS – Close Air Support.

69. JTAC – Joint Terminal Attack Controller.

70. IFF – Identification Friend or Foe.

71. Sit Tight – Stay where you are.

72. Eyes On – Visual contact.

73. Overwatch – Positioning to cover a team.

74. Check Fire – Stop shooting.

75. Danger Close – Friendly troops near target.

76. Egress – Exit route.

77. Exfil – Extraction from an area.

78. Call Sign – Radio name/identifier.

79. Splash – Confirmed hit on target.

80. Broken Arrow – Call for immediate all-out support.

Slang, Humor & Culture

81. FUBAR – F***ed Up Beyond All Recognition.

82. SNAFU – Situation Normal, All F***ed Up.

83. BOHICA – Bend Over, Here It Comes Again.

84. Soup Sandwich – Something completely messed up.

85. Blue Falcon – Buddy F***er (someone who betrays their team).

86. Geardo – Person obsessed with buying tactical gear.

87. Chairborne Ranger – Desk soldier.

88. Moonbeam – Flashlight.

89. Ground Pounder – Infantry soldier.

90. Hatchback Commando – Civilian pretending to be tactical.

91. Gun Bunny – Artillery soldier.

92. Snake Eater – Special Forces soldier.

93. Zoomie – Air Force personnel.

94. Leg – Soldier without Airborne training.

95. Hollywood Jump – Parachute jump without combat gear.

96. Mess Hall – Dining facility.

97. Rack Out – Go to sleep.

98. High Speed, Low Drag – Very efficient/cool.

99. Standby to Standby – Hurry up and wait.

100. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF) – Expression of disbelief.

Wrap-Up

This “alphabet soup” isn’t just macho talk — it’s functional. A single word can pack the meaning of an entire sentence, shave seconds off communication, and sometimes, lighten the mood in heavy situations.

Whether you’re into tactical gear, military history, or just want to decode what those cops on TV are yelling into their radios, this cheat sheet puts you one step closer to speaking fluent tactical.

Operator Banter

Operator 1 (Team Lead):
“Alright gents, SITREP. We step off at zero-dark-thirty, Oscar Mike to the AO. We’ll stack up on the sally port, breach on my bang. Copy?”

Operator 2 (Breacher):
“Roger, LT. I’ve got the bang and the ram. If that door laughs at me, I’ll FRAG out and we’ll call it ‘renovation’. FUBAR either way.”

Operator 3 (Comms):
“Wilco. I’ll keep the net clean. Call signs stay Lima for lead, Echo for entry, Delta for dumb decisions. QRF on standby, splash code is ‘pineapple.’”

Operator 4 (Sniper, half asleep):
“Copy. Eyes on from overwatch. If Tango squirts out the back, he’ll get the hot brass treatment. If it gets spicy, I’ll call ‘danger close’ for CAS.”

Operator 2:
“Roger that. Hey, LT, after exfil can we get a Code 7? My gut’s been living on MRE cheese spread for a week and it’s SNAFU in there.”

Operator 1:
“Negative, soldier. Mission first. Besides, the mess hall chow is soup sandwich anyway. Rack out when we’re wheels up.”

Operator 3 (laughing):
“Copy. Don’t forget your 10-20 after, LT. Last time you went full Blue Falcon and left me Oscar Mike with the gear.”

Operator 1:
“Standby to standby, boys. Saddle up — today we’re high speed, low drag. Let’s keep it tight, or it’s gonna be BOHICA all over again.”